Sealing apparatus

Abstract

A sealing apparatus capable of suppressing an increase in sliding resistance while sealing performance is maintained over a long period of time is provided. A leaf spring 200 is provided with, at intervals in a circumferential direction, a plurality of projections 210 which are configured to dig into a seal member 100 as, in accordance with a shaft 600 being inserted into a shaft hole of a housing 700, a radially inward portion of the seal member 100 is deformed to curve toward a fluid-to-be-sealed side and a radially inward portion of the leaf spring 200 is deformed to curve along the seal member 100.

1 . A sealing apparatus configured to seal an annular gap between a shaft and a housing which rotate relative to each other, the sealing apparatus comprising:
 a metal ring configured to be fixed to a shaft hole provided in the housing;   a seal member having a planar and annular member made of polytetrafluoroethylene and configured so that a radially outward portion thereof is fixed to the metal ring and a radially inward portion thereof is in close contact with and slide freely on an outer circumferential surface of the shaft in a state being deformed to curve toward a fluid-to-be-sealed side on which a fluid to be sealed is sealed; and   a leaf spring having a planar and annular metal member, a radially outward portion thereof being fixed to the metal ring and a radially inward portion thereof being configured to be deformed to curve toward the seal member, the leaf spring pressing the seal member radially inwardly toward the outer circumferential surface of the shaft, wherein   the leaf spring is provided with, at intervals in a circumferential direction, a plurality of projections configured to dig into the seal member as, in accordance with the shaft being inserted into the shaft hole, the radially inward portion of the seal member is deformed to curve toward the fluid-to-be-sealed side and the radially inward portion of the leaf spring is deformed to curve along the seal member.   
     
     
         2 . The sealing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the projections are configured to dig into positions on the reverse side of portions in the seal member which are configured to be in close contact with and slide freely on the outer circumferential surface of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The sealing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the projections extend radially inwardly toward the fluid-to-be-sealed side. 
     
     
         4 . The sealing apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the projections extend radially inwardly toward the fluid-to-be-sealed side.